This story appears in the
May 2004 issue of
Entrepreneur.
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The next step in wireless networking may be mesh networking.
Also called multihop networking, it extends the range and strength
of a network by using multiple access points. The more nodes you
have interconnecting, the better. Each node acts as a router and
can talk to other nodes instead of having them all talk back to a
main base station. That's a boon for flexibility and
reliability: If one node goes down or is too busy, the rest can
reroute the traffic.
A sign of the interest in mesh networking is the number of
startups getting involved, like Ember, MeshNetworks, PacketHop and
Strix
Systems. Mesh networking can be used to cover big areas, like
MeshNetworks' coverage of 57 square miles in Garland, Texas, or
older office buildings that give regular Wi-Fi setups fits. It can
also extend networks without setting up new base stations.
Intel is throwing its weight behind mesh networking, working
with Cisco Systems to create technology standards. One hiccup for
widespread adoption is the lack of interoperability between the
solutions on the market. Still, it shouldn't be long before the
devices get to the local Radio Shack.